Should we let the doctors move my mum's feeding tube to the stomach so she can be moved from the hospital into a home?

My mum had a severe stroke 3 months ago and is still in hospital . She cannot swallow and is being fed through a nasal tube.Doctors want to move the tube to the stomach so she can be moved from hospital into a home. She mostly sleeps and seems very weak, but sometimes she says the odd word. We have concerns with them moving the tube, as she has been on antibiotics constantly for infections ..... and only had the odd day without. Currently she has low potassium ...and has a potassium bag. We feel she is too weak for the feed to be moved but the hospital cannot shift her out while she has a nasal tube. We are going in for a meeting on Friday with all doctors ...Any suggestions ...should we let them move the feed?

Putting in a peg is one of the simplest "surgeries." I watched them take my dad's out and realized it's just a small incision in the abdomen, then into the stomach. As long as you take basic steps to prevent infection after the incision, there's no huge recovery for this procedure. It's slightly more complicated than putting an IV in. Please don't worry too much about it, and focus on anything that gives your mom back some quality of life. I'm sure she'd like to get out of the hospital...? Good luck to you and your mom.

Hm. I think the "let her go" comments are somewhat misplaced here. The question is about moving from a nasogastric tube to peg tube for feeding. Peg tubes aren't that big of a deal, and many people have them either temporarily or long term.

So, yes, Krissy, I would say allow the doctors to move to a peg type tube. There will be home nurses for follow up care and you can learn how to flush the tube. My dad had one. It wasn't that difficult to deal with. I actually liked that I knew - by utilizing the peg - that he was getting nutrition regularly since he was severely underweight at the time.

There's nothing particularly scary about a peg tube. They're more common for long term feeding than the nasal kind.

I agree with all who say in essence, "Let her go." My late husband's living will stated that he did not want to be intubated even if it was indicated. I honored his wishes. He was 84 years old and in poor health. I am 85 years old and in relatively good health, but I hope that if the time comes when I doctor wants to intubate me and I am unable to speak, my children will refuse.

There are some very good suggestions here. We don't know her prognosis; is she expected to improve? Is she able to get out of bed? Her age? The PEG insertion procedure is relatively simple. While it does require skilled nursing in the beginning, the nurses teach the family how to feed her themselves and do it safely. If your mom had AD follow her wishes. If she doesn't get your family together (include your mom if she is able) and discuss quality vs quantity of life for her future. "Massive" stroke doesn't sound very positive nor hopeful. Palliative care may be your option. As others mentioned, if she is immobile she can develop bedsores, one among a multitude of conditions that will only make her weaker. It's a rough decision. My mom too had a stroke and at 89 y/o I chose Hospice for her, and never regretted my decision. She passed comfortably and with dignity, and I had the honor of being with her when she passed. Good luck.

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